


Fractures in Time

by Alaskan_Outsider



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Arnim Zola can choke on a bag of dicks, Canon-Typical Violence, Coffee Shops, Danger, Death, Doing anything for family, Eventual Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Fear, Finding Family Fic, Girl helps her boys get together, Help, Hydra can suck ass, I need a beta, I'm a nerd, Implied/Referenced Torture, Original Character Insert, Original Female Character - Freeform, POV Third Person, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Self-Discovery, Stucky - Freeform, The Howling Commandos are a family, The Howling Commandos are her brothers, This Fic May Be Long as Fuck, Time Travel, World War II, feel good fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:07:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27854778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alaskan_Outsider/pseuds/Alaskan_Outsider
Summary: Charlotte Charles has lost everything. Her mother died when she was five and her aunt took her in, but she died in a car accident in Charlotte's first year of college. Everyone Charlotte has ever gotten close to has died, so she just doesn't get close to anyone.She's working at a Coffee shop in the Smithsonian Museum of American History when the Captain America exhibit opens after the Battle of New York and she decides to go to the exhibit. The exhibit is really interesting, but the most interesting part is the empty silver jewelry box that was donated by shield. When she touches it, she is sent back in time to one of the Howling Commandos first mission together.Now stuck in the terror of World War II, she has to find her way back to her own time. The box said she had a lesson to learn. But what was it?(Sorry! I suck at Descriptions)
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	Fractures in Time

**Author's Note:**

> Gonna leave this first chapter here and if it gets a good response I'll publish more, so comment and kudos your asses off if you want more. I'd also love to have a Beta reader if anyone is willing and able. 
> 
> There aren't enough good Howling Commandos or Captain America World War II fics out there and I need more. So I wrote this....

**Prologue**

_ “You’re destined for great things, Lottie.” _

That’s what Charlotte’s mother had said to her as she sat next to her mother’s hospital bed and gripped her hand tightly. She was only five at the time, completely confused why her mom had seemed to lose all her hair and needed ventilators to breath. Her Auntie Amber had told her that her mom was sick,but that if she got enough love and attention she’d get better.

She never did. She died a month later as Charlotte sat there gripping her hand and sobbing that she was sorry she couldn’t give her mommy enough love, that she couldn’t keep her alive.

It was years later that Charlotte learned that not even love could stop something as awful as cancer. Her aunt had only told her that because there was hope, the doctor said she was getting better. Then everything that could possibly go wrong did and they lost her.

The system attempted to find her father, but there was no record of her ever having one. Auntie Amber took her in and raised her as her own. It was just the two of them and they were close. Her aunt had done everything she could to make sure Charlotte was raised with all the love and attention a kid could ask for, but never let her forget her mom. Every year on her mother’s birthday they baked a cake and every year on the anniversary of her death they lit candles. It’s not like Charlotte could forget her even if she tried. 

_ “You’re destined for great things”  _ played on a constant repeat in her mind and, at that early age of five, Charlotte was determined to prove her mother right. She succeeded in everything she ever put her mind to and more. She graduated top of her class, was a black belt in Karate and Taekwondo, and even the best shot on her school's archery team. She was amazing at everything she tried and never let anything stop her.

Being as smart as she was, Charlotte had her pick of colleges and universities in the country and she took advantage of it, securing a scholarship at Stanford University with a major in History with the goal of being the head historian at any museum she applied to. She moved from Brooklyn, New York City to Stanford, California.

Moving wasn’t the hard part. She didn’t have any friends to leave behind because being as ambitious as she was she never had time to make any and many people were too intimidated by her. The hard part was saying goodbye to her Aunt Amber at the airport. Her Aunt was her best friend and the only person in the world she loved besides her mother.

Charlotte didn’t cry as her Aunt pulled her into a bone crushing hug that day. She waited until after. She waited until she was through TSA and in line to board the plane before she let the tears finally slide from her eyes. The lady checking her ticket gave her a look of pity and told her that leaving home for college was always hard, but she’d see her family again at break. She took comfort in that, giving the woman a grateful smile.

Neither of them had any idea how wrong she was.

It was the week before Christmas break when she got the call. Charlotte had had her bags packed and ready to go, a single final stood between her and a flight back home, but as she was standing in line for ID checks for the exam room, her phone rang. She stepped out of line, answering it even though she didn’t recognise the number.

“Hello?”

“Hello. May I please speak to Miss Charlotte Charles?” an Authoritative voice on the other end had spoken.

“This is her.” 

“Miss Charles, I’m sorry to inform you that your Aunt, Amber Murry, was in a fatal car accident this morning. I’m afraid she didn’t make it.”

“W-what?” Charlotte had barely gotten out. Her throat had constricted painfully, her heart beat ten times fast and it felt as though she couldn’t breath.

“Your Aunt passed this morning in a fatal head on collision on Interstate 278.”

“No.” She whimpered, “You… no.”

“I’m very sorry for your loss.”

Charlotte couldn’t think. It felt as though her brain had been frozen solid, the word ‘No’ being frozen in her mind with it. She didn’t reply to the other person. Her throat felt too tight and her head too light to think. The phone slid from her hand and hit the ground with a harsh clatter. The people around her looked at her with confused and startled looks, but Charlotte didn’t notice. She wouldn’t be able to see them through the tears blurring her vision anyway.

She vaguely heard someone yelling Charlie and a grip on her arm as she was jerked forward, but she couldn’t focus. Her Aunt Amber was the only person she had left. She was the only person who loved her. The only person who could remember her mother besides her.

“Charlie?” A smooth deep voice asked her, shaking her shoulders gently. She blinked harshly, feeling the tears slide down her face as her vision cleared just enough to make out Joshua Johnson, a boy he had done a project with earlier in the year. “Charlie, are you okay?” He asked, his eyebrows were scrunched together with worry.

“She’s gone.” Charlotte choked out.

“Who?”

“Aunt.” She whimpered. She remembered telling him a bit about her aunt raising her after telling him her mother had died of cancer.

His eyes widened and he yanked her forward into a tight hug. Charlotte didn’t like it, it felt like all the feeling were being jammed back inside her. Everything hurt, her heart felt like it was ripped from her chest and her brain felt like it had been electrocuted. She shook as sobs racked her body pulling herself out of his hold as she shoved him out of her way and raced out of the building. 

She couldn’t be in there anymore. She felt broken, torn to shreds and her only thought was to punch something. She wanted to lash out, to make someone else feel her pain. She was devastated. She was angry. Everyone was taken from her and there was nothing she could do about it. If she didn’t leave she was going to hurt someone for no reason, most likely Joshua.

She found herself in her dorm room. She didn’t stop to think, grabbing her pre-packed bags that were the only things left in the entire room and running back out the door. She needed to get home. She needed to go home and prove whoever had called her wrong. She’d get home and her aunt would be standing in the kitchen, hands on her hips and angry with her for ditching her final exam. She’d explain why and her aunt would hold her and tell her that it was all some made up fantasy, that she must have fallen asleep on the plane and this was all a dream. This had to be a dream.

It wasn’t though. 

When Charlotte arrived back at the tiny apartment she grew up in in Brooklyn, she was met with empty rooms. Her aunt's morning coffee cup that she routinely washed as soon as she got home from work sat in the sink, the tan residue of too sweet coffee in the bottom. That’s when it truly cemented in her mind. Her Aunt was gone. It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a lie. The only person she had left was gone.

She dropped everything and numbly washed the mug.

____________

The next few weeks were filled with funeral plans and sorrow. Her aunt’s coworkers gave her casseroles and apologized for her loss. Her aunt’s friends came and sat with her, telling their favorite memories, but Charlotte felt detached from the world.

Charlotte couldn’t take it. She took a backpack out of her closet, shoved the essentials, her aunt’s mug and phone in it, and threw on her Aunt’s favorite leather jacket. She hopped on her aunt’s prized Harley, since her aunt's car had been destroyed in the crash, and ran. She drove south out of the city, speeding and not caring.

Charlotte stopped in Washington DC when the motorcycle was almost out of gas and filled it up. Across the street she could see a billboard for the Smithsonian. She’d never been, but her Aunt and her had planned to drive down and go over break. She took it as a sign, paying for the gas and heading in the direction of the museum.

She parked on the street nearby, heading for the American History building and running up to the doors just as security was unlocking it for the day. She’d been driving all night and the sun had just made it above the horizon. She was the first inside and she grabbed a map making her way towards the World War Two exhibit. Her Aunt had always been a World War Two history nut.

After walking around for a couple of hours and reading every bit of information possible, she felt her stomach grumble. It was time for food. She’d been so engrossed in the display and sorrow she hadn’t realized she needed to eat at all. Stopping at the small cafe inside, she ordered a caramel macchiato (her aunt’s favorite drink) and a muffin before taking a seat at a small table in the corner. The cafe was empty except for the single barista who took her order, it was a Monday at ten AM and school groups probably wouldn’t arrive for another hour or so.

She wished it wasn’t so empty, the quiet left her alone with her thoughts and her sorrow intensified. Little facts that she read on the displays would pop up in her mind and she’d wished she could point them out to her aunt. There were a few times while walking around that she had forgotten and turned to do it only to realize her Auntie Amber wasn’t there. Her mind raced with sorrow and dread thinking about having to go back to that tiny apartment and live there without her. All the memories that had been twisting her heart during the few weeks she was there to plan the funeral. 

The barista came and set down her drink and muffin, giving her a smile and telling her not to worry when Charlotte apologized for not hearing her name be called. She wasn’t very hungry anymore as she stared down at the muffin, but she knew she had to eat. If she didn’t force herself to eat now she figured she wouldn’t be able to make herself eat ever. She wasn’t going to down-spiral like that so she ate her muffin and sipped her coffee in silence as her mind raced once more.

She couldn’t go home. She couldn’t live there anymore. It wasn’t home without her Auntie.

When she finished her muffin and coffee, she stood and threw away her trash and forced herself to take deep breaths while staring at the bulletin board above the trash cans. It was full of little flyers tacked with multicolored tacks announcing things like piano lessons, Spanish classes, and odd jobs. A bright red one caught her attention. It announced that the cafe she stood in was hiring.

She took it down, making her way to the front counter.

“Hi.” She said, forcing on a fake smile she’d perfected over the past few weeks, “Did you happen to fill the barista position yet?”

“No. We haven't.” The manager Jessie, according to her name tag, answered.

“I’d like to apply.”

“Sure thing. If you want I can interview you now since it’s not busy. I can just take down your information during.”

“Alright.”

____________

Charlotte checked into a hotel nearby hotel that night and a few days later (after the woman ran a background check) Charlotte got a call informing her that she got the job and her first day would be the following Monday. She spent the next few days making arrangements to have her things in New York put into storage until she had a place to ship it to and started working on transferring to George Washington University starting the next semester.

She needed a fresh start and this is how she was going to get it.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_ Three years later _

Charlotte leaned against the wall in her leather jacket with her headphones in playing Nirvana on the highest volume outside the doors of the American History museum and waited for her first break to be over. It was a cool spring afternoon. The grounds of the Smithsonian were bustling with life, the American History museum especially thanks to the new Captain America display that had opened up yesterday. The big banners waved in the air above her and little kids rushed around excited to see one of their favorite hero's old things.

Charlotte hadn’t managed to make her way to the exhibit yet. She wanted to see it but she didn’t like big crowds very much and it hadn’t cleared out yet. She planned to stop in after her shift was over at three, after school was out and before the work day was over, knowing that it should be calmer by then.

She glanced down at her phone, noticed the time, and turned to make her way into the building and to the small cafe. Jessie greeted her with a smile as she put her headphones away, took off her jacket, and put on the promotional red, white, and blue apron.

“Hey, Charlie. Is it my lunch already?” Jessie asked after she called out a customer's name and set down their drink on the pick up counter.

“Sure is.” she answered as she switched places with her.

“Cool.” Jessie smiled, taking off her own aporn as Charlotte picked up one of the cups and checked the order that Jessie had scribbled on it. Even though the museum was busy, the cafe was rather calm since most of the people around were children on school trips. There was a line of teachers when she arrived this morning, but it had died down since it was now one o’clock and most of them were too busy wrangling kids to get coffee. “By the way, how’d your graduation go?” Jessie smiled. 

Jessie was a few years older than Charlotte and was the closest thing to a friend that Charlotte had ever had. That wasn’t saying much though since they only ever saw each other at work and Charlotte made a point of not actually getting close to anyone since her Aunt had died. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism but she figured that if she didn’t get close to anyone I’d be harder to get hurt.

“It went well.” She said with a small smile, “I’ve got my bachelors degree.” Charlotte didn’t have the heart to tell Jessie that she didn’t actually go to the ceremony since she didn’t have anyone to see her do it and just picked up her degree at the registration office after class.

“And graduated a semester early!”

“Technically.” She told her as she finished the drink she was working on and called it out, “I’ve still got my masters then maybe I can talk to Micheal about working as a historian here.”

“I’m sure he’ll be happy to have you once you do. He might even give you an internship now if you asked.” Jessie smiled pulling on her jacket and letting down her long curly hair from it’s bun. Charlotte could remember her complaining about how much she hated having her hair up, but she had to do it for the job. 

“And leave you alone with Lu?” Charlotte joked. Lu was the nickname they had for their only other coworker Louis who only worked weekends and was annoying as all hell to work with since she never did her job unless a cute guy walked up. She was the owner’s daughter so she got away with it.

“Never mind. Stay forever. If you leave, then I’ll have to leave and this place will go to shit.” Jessie said, her blue eyes widening in comically is mock panic.

“Shut up and go eat your lunch. You’re gonna piss off your girlfriend if you’re late.” Charlotte chuckled while leaning against the counter since there were no more orders for the moment. Jessie was dating Maxine, one of the stagers for the displays, and took her lunch everyday at the same time so they could have lunch together everyday.

Jessie nodded and scurried out the door as fast as possible and left Charlotte alone in the empty cafe.

Charlotte shook her head, rubbed her hands on her apron, and grabbed a towel out of the sanitizer bucket to wipe down the machine. She hummed the tune to  _ In The Mood  _ by Glenn Miller and danced slightly as she moved to wipe down the counters and tables. Cleaning was the only time she ever put the Swing classes her Aunt had her take in high school to use. Auntie Amber was a World War Two nut and had even taken some of the classes with her.

When she finished wiping down the last table she tossed the towel into the dirty bucket and pulled a small off the shelf to make herself an undertow since she had nothing else to do. She took a pitcher and filled it with ice water and set a spoon inside before she turned around to grind the beans. When the portafilter was full she tamped it down and put it into the machine before pumping two pumps of caramel flavoring into the small cup and poured in some milk. She place the cup under the spout and pulled the chilled spoon from the water placing it over the cup and let the espresso shot pull and slide over the back of the spoon into the cup. 

When it was done, she quickly threw it back before the shot could cool. The bitter coffee taste hit first since the cold spoon kept the liquids separated, but it was quickly followed by the sweet soothing taste of the caramel flavored milk. Finished, she placed the cup into the sink behind her and rinsed off the spoon just as somebody approached the counter. 

“Hiya. What can I get ya, Boss?” Charlotte asked her Brooklyn slang slipping out. She normally got better tips when she embellished her accent since tourists loved it so much. She can’t even count how many times people have had her say  _ Hey, I’m walkin’ here!  _ Just so they could laugh. Tips were tips though.

“Boss?” The guy asked. He wore a baseball cap that casted a small shadow over the top of his face in the low lighting and a tan jacket. “You from New York?”

“Brooklyn.” She smiled.

“I am too.” 

“Oh really? You don’t have an accent.” She smirked.

“You don’t really have one that thick I can see.” He called her out, an easy smile sliding onto his lips.

“Gets me good tips with the tourists if I exaggerate it.” She shrugged.

“Ah.” he said and tilted his head back to nod and laugh.

The light showed down on his face, removed the earlier shadow, and illuminated his features. Charlotte smirked at him as he looked back down at her. She shook her head and grabbed a cup and the marker from her apron.

“So, what can I get for you…” She paused a sec for effect, “Captain Rogers.”

The man froze, his eyes widened comically like he was surprised she had recognized him. “Just a black coffee.” He replied, ducking his head.

She put the pen back in her apron, not bothering to write anything on the cup as she turned around and placed the cup under the craft of coffee. Once the cup was full she put the lid back on it and set it on the counter in front of the man. “Don’t worry, I won’t blow your cover.” She assured him, “But honestly, black coffee? You really are an old man.” 

Captain America rolled his eyes, proving he’d probably been called that way too many times. “Thanks….” he glanced at her name tags, “Charlie.”

“All good. But in the spirit of keeping your cover,” She jerked her head shortly signaling towards the coffee, “That’s a dollar fifty. Can’t be seen giving completely normal everyday customers free coffee can I. I know it’s more than coffee was back in your time, but inflation and all that.”

He chuckled again, pulled out a ten dollar bill and handed it to her. She settled his bill and handed back his change only to watch him drop his change into the tip jar. She smiled at him. She loved tips but not many people gave her an eight dollar and fifty cent tip. 

“You tryna pay me for my silence there, Rogers?” She joked, “I’m pretty sure bribery is a crime you frown upon.”

He rolled his eyes. “Bribery for bad things, yes. Just consider that me thanking you kindly for not bringing the whole building down on top of me.”

She mock saluted to fuck with him. 

“You’re a real riot.” he told her, rolling his eyes again.

“Whatever ya say, Cap.”

“You can call me, Steve”

“Ooh first name basis with….” she lowered her voice to an exaggerated whisper, “Captain America.” then brought her voice back up to its original volume, “I’m really coming up in the world. Might have to quit my day job and become an Avenger.”

He laughed again and took a sip of his coffee. Movement behind Steve drew her attention as she saw a woman with bright red hair approach the counter. She didn’t look up at the menu at all, instead she gave Charlie a once over and glanced over at the back of Steve’s head. Charlotte briefly realised that the new customer might think she was flirting with Steve instead of doing her job.

“Now, I gotta talk to other customers too. Can’t be havin’ a goof with ya for the rest of my shift.” She joked again, pointing over his shoulder.

Steve chuckled again. The woman behind him’s eyes widened at the sound so slightly that if Charlotte wasn’t paying complete attention to her now she probably wouldn't have noticed. The woman’s expression slowly slid into a small smirk. 

“What can I get ya?” Charlotte asked the woman, looking between her and Steve. Either the woman knew him or had figured out who he was.

“Oh, I don’t want anything. I’m just meeting this one.” The woman answered, chucking a finger at him.

“Hello, Romanoff.” Steve gave her a small smile. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I knew you were coming to the exhibit and wanted to join, but this is much more interesting.”

“Huh?” Charlotte asked and raised an eyebrow.

“Steve doesn’t laugh often.” Romanoff supplied, “I’ve been trying to set him up with someone, but he keeps turning me down. Maybe he’d go out with you.”

Steve’s eyes widened and he cleared his throat in surprise.

“Nah, I’m good. I like bein’ by my lonesome.” Charlotte chuckled. Steve smirked. Romanoff’s smirk fell and Charlotte figured her blank expression was supposed to be a surprise. “Besides, I only flirt for tips. If you could call me calling him an old fart flirting.”

Steve rolled his eyes again.

Charlotte took a minute to take in Romanoff, her mind analyzed the woman and tried to pinpoint who she was. Romanoff was clearly not her first name as Steve had said it with a form of professionalism meaning it was probably her last name and that was a coworker of his. There was only one female Avenger that she knew of.

“You’re the Black Widow. Aren’t you?”

“Why do you think that?”

Charlotte explained her thought process to her and watched as an impressed smirk slid onto the Black Widow’s face. Charlotte was beginning to realize that’s the only way the woman smiled. Steve looked slightly impressed too.

“Good job.” The woman praised, “Yes. I’m Natasha Romanoff, but am known to the public as the Black Widow.”

“Thank you. I’m an analytical thinker.”

Natasha hummed.

Charlotte nodded, glanced over at Steve and then over his shoulder to see Jessie on her way over. Jessie was a big Avengers fan and Charlotte knew that Jessie would probably ruin their cover by wanting a picture. “Is there anything else I can do for you guys?” She asked loud enough for Jessie to hear before lowering her voice into a whisper for only Natasha and Steve to hear, “Here comes the real boss and she’ll blow your cover so scram before I gotta give ya a kick in that ass.”

Natasha smirked again and slid her arm through Steve’s. “Oh no, thank you so much for all your help! You’d think we’d be able to find the exhibit with all the banners around, but he’s worthless with directions.” She said in an exaggerated girly voice, “Aren’t ya, hunny?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Sure am. Thanks again, Miss Charlie.”

She looked over to see Jessie looking down at her phone and gave a quick salute before she could be caught, “No problem. It’s my job, Sir.”

Steve rolled his eyes once more as he and Natasha turned to leave the small cafe. They passed Jessie, but the girl was so focused on her phone she barely noticed as she made her way up to the counter entrance. “Got lost on their way to the Captain America exhibit?” Jessie muttered chuckling, “It’s only advertised around the entire building.”

“Tourists are stupid.” Charlotte replied and shrugged.

Jessie nodded, slid her phone into her pocket and put her apron back on before tying up her hair. The two girls worked in mostly silence after that while they did their usual chores and took turns serving customers. Charlotte’s shift ended first since she had been the one to open the cafe and she wished Jessie good luck quietly as she noticed Luise coming through the door as she got ready. Jessie gave her an exaggerated pained expression as Charlotte slid her headphones in and left.

Charlotte took her phone out and clicked on the shuffle button of her liked playlist on Spotify, the sounds of ACDC filling her ears as she turned the corner. She shoved her phone back in her pocket and peeked at the entrance to the Captain America Exhibit. It wasn’t as crowded as it had been earlier in the day. People were milling around and a few younger children were dragging their parents around with their hands clasped in tiny fists, but it was clear enough for her to maintain at least a six foot distance and not have anyone in her space.

She let her mind wander for a moment wondering if she would find the two Avengers inside, but quickly shook the thought away. It’d been about an hour and thirty minutes since she had spoken to them and they were surely gone by now. There was no reason to get her hopes up. She didn’t need friends, she was fine being alone.

She made her way through the exhibit quietly, only taking her headphones out occasionally to listen to the different recordings at certain displays. The room had mostly cleared out by the time she was halfway through, she stopped at every exhibit and read every piece of information thoroughly like she did with every exhibit she went to see, occasionally reading them twice to make sure she didn’t miss any information. History was always her favorite subject. She could even recite some of the exhibits in the museum from memory. Sometimes she’d read something and make a note of questions in her mind to ask if she ever saw Steve again. 

She was on the last stretch when the museum announced that it was closing in five minutes. She sighed trying to read as fast as possible so she could at least finish.

“Not done yet, Charlie?” Jerry, the night shift security guard, asked as he made his way over to her after gesturing direction out of the museum to a family of three.

“Almost.” She replied distractedly.

“If you’d like, you can finish up and I’ll come find you after I lock up. You can leave out the security entrance.” He offered.

Her eyes widened and she turned to give him her attention. “Really?”

Jerry ducked his head, his cheeks brightening a bit. He wasn’t much older than her, probably only three or four years, but when he made a face like that he looked even younger. Charlotte hadn’t had many conversations with him except for when she had opening shifts and he let her in in the mornings and she made him a cup of coffee to wake him up enough so he could get home. She couldn’t understand why he would bend the rules for her at all.

“Well, yeah. I trust ya.” He said sounding bashful, “Just don’t steal anythin’.”

She laughed. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Jerry smiled at her shyly as he nodded slowly and made his way out of the room. 

Charlotte turned back to the display, reading slower, but not as slow as before. She didn’t want to take too long, he was already being generous by giving her a bit more time. After about five minutes, she found herself on the last display. It was a display of a box that Steve and the Howling Commandos had found on one of their many missions. The information board called it an empty box that was donated by Margaret “Peggy” Carter, the founder of SHIELD. They had no information except that it seemed like an unimportant trinket.

The box was made of a smooth silver metal with little swirls carved in a border around the top of the lid. It was held shut by an oddly shaped clasp that was a darker color than the rest of the box. The board explained that the box had never been opened, but that Howard Stark himself had run analysis on it and found nothing out of the ordinary. The box was the last donation to the exhibit, only given after SHIELD had used all its resources to x-ray it and confirm with absolute certainty that it was empty and harmless.

Charlotte found herself wanting to reach out and touch the smooth metal surface. It was almost as if it was calling out to her, the shine daring her to smudge it. She couldn’t stop herself as her arm lifted against her own volition. 

The metal was cool to the touch and as smooth as it looked. She slid her hand across the surface. her mind in what seemed like a trance as her pointer finger slid into a dip near the clasp. The box seemed shimmered like a light had passed over it and Charlotte heard it give an audible click as the clasp clicked open. Her eyes widened as she reached out with her other hand and pushed the lid open. 

The box was indeed empty, but along the bottom was a carved inscription. The light that had been on the box to illuminate it made the letters stand out like they were lined in gold. 

“ _ For those with greatness in their souls and a lesson to learn far from home. May you have the strength you need _ .” Charlotte read aloud into the empty room. 

And with that, the ground gave out beneath her and she fell.

Charlotte expected to hit the floor within seconds, but she didn’t. Her stomach swooped as the world flashed in golden circles around her. Sparks of blue and green flitted by as she tumbled and the universe around her seemed to stretch and morph until she was surrounded by nothing but navy blue with little white dots sparkling above her.

Air rushed by her and she realized she was no longer falling slowly, but free falling as gravity pulled at her. A scream was ripped from her chest as she spun and tumbled. Her long red hair whipped around her face and blocked her eyesight as she drew closer to the ground with each tumble. She was going to die. She touched a stupid magic box and now it was going to kill her.

She closed her eyes, bracing for the impact that would no doubt snap every bone in her body and kill her in a big rush of pain, but it never came. The falling slowed momentarily and then she was caught. A pair of arms slid underneath her and plucked her from the air nearly toppling her and whoever caught her.

“Jesus fuckin’ christ!” She screamed and grabbed the face of whoever caught her and gave them a big sloppy kiss on the cheek. She shoved herself from their arms and spun around pumping a fist into the air once. “I’m alive! Holy fuckin’ shit! I’m not dead!” 

She grabbed a hold of the person once more, crushing them in a hug before jumping up and down a few times. She was alive. She wasn’t a bug splattered on a windshield. She was some gross bag of pulverized flesh on the ground. She was breathing.

“I don’t give a fuck who you are. I could literally marry your ass right now!” She told the person and gave them another sloppy kiss on the cheek.

She pulled back then, collapsed onto the ground and laid down as her heart raced. Adrenaline was filling her body making it buzz with energy and she needed a moment to calm down. She closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths before opening them again. She opened them to the faces of seven men staring down at her in utter confusion.

“Steve?” She asked, confused that she actually recognized someone, “Steve, where in the flying fuck am I?”

“Um…. Have we met?” The blonde man asked, the confusion deepened on his face as his eyebrows grew even closer together.

“Yeah.” She scoffed, “Like three hours ago. I called you an old man because you ordered black coffee.”

“I’m sorry?” He questioned, “This is the front. I haven’t been anywhere near a place to get a cup of coffee in weeks.”

“What?” She yelped.

“I haven’t had coffee in-”

“No, the first thing.”

“This is the front.”

Charlotte gulped. “The front of?”

“The front of the war.”

She squeaked. “And what war is that?”

“The second great war.”

She nodded slowly, her eyes focused and unfocused a few times. She scrambled to organize her thoughts. She touched a stupid box and fell through time, apparently, and was now laying on…. a forest floor surround by World War Two soldiers and Captain America. This was a development that she was not prepared for. 

Stupid fucking SHIELD ‘empty’ box.

“She okay?” one of the men asked, “She’s lookin’ a bit queasy.” 

“Shuddup, Dum. She just fell from the sky. She’s probably confused.” another snarked.

“Well, she seemed fine when she was kissin’ all over Morita’s face.” The first one, Dum, shot back with a chuckle.

Charlotte counted in her head as she took deep breaths and let them out slowly. She just needed to remain calm and find that stupid box again. She just needed to find the box, touch it and get back to the museum. She wondered how Jerry would react to find her missing and the box opened. Would he think she stole something? Is he going to report her for theft?

Her life would be over when it had just started to get better again. She couldn’t let that happen. She was going to get her masters and work for the museum and life would be amazing again. She’d be able to have some small form of happiness.

“So… You’re telling me that I’m laying on the ground in 194-something in fucking Europe?” She groaned and opened one eye to look at them.

“1944. I’m afraid so.” A British voice answered.

“Well fuck me with a goddamn stick. Could whatever God that thinks this bullshit is funny just leave me the fuck alone?!” She screamed.

“I think she’s insane. Maybe she hit her head?” Dum rumbled.

“I’m not insane.” She growled, “I’m fed up.” Charlotte pushed herself off the ground with a loud huff and dusted the dirt of her black skinny jeans before yanking the zipper open on her leather jacket. Surprisingly, her phone managed to stay zipped in the pocket during the fall, but when she unzipped her jacket her headphones swung down from their wire where they were zipped up inside. She sighed, grabbing the wire and yanking it out of her phone before wrapping the headphones into a ball and sticking them into her pocket.

When she looked up she was met with seven still highly curious faces. She scanned them quickly then looked down at herself. The short sleeve white blouse she wore had dirt along the bottom where it stuck out from under her jacket but the black under-bust vest was still securely buttoned underneath. She found herself wishing she wasn’t in her required uniform for work. She probably looked close to this period's version of a prostitute with how tight her clothing was.

She clenched her teeth and stuck up her chin while fixing her face with a glare. “Stop lookin’ at me like I’m insane.”

“Forgive us Miss, but it is kind of odd that you fell from the sky in enemy territory looking like you’re from another world.” The British voice replied politely.

“I just might be at this point.” She huffed, “And my name's Charlotte, but call me Charlie. If ya even try to call me Lottie, I’ll stab you in the eye.” Many British people attempted to shorten her name like that when they found out what it was, but Charlotte reserved that specifically for her mother and aunt. Nobody’s been able to call her that since they died.

The British man’s eyes widened at the threat, but he quickly school his features into a polite look. “Of course. I am James Montgomery Falsworth, but these lads call me Monty.”

Charlotte nodded to him, brushing her wild hair out of her eyes. She recognized his name from the exhibit, but she wasn’t surprised. If this was 1944 then there was no doubt she would have been surrounded by the Howling Commandos if she found Captain America.

“I’m Timothy Dugan, but you can call me Dum Dum.” The man who was making jokes earlier told her, tipping his bowler hat at her, “The one you were kissing on is Jim Morita.”

She followed his gesture with his thumb towards a Japanese man. He looked prepared to defend himself and it took her by surprise at first. Then she remembered that this is 1944, racism was strong and she was a white woman and he was a Japanese man. She smiled at him.

“Well, I’m glad I was caught by such a dreamboat.” She said with absolute honesty. She may not be attracted to him, but she definitely needs to give credit where it is due, especially if it will help him loosen up.

The man ducked his head a bit before going serious again. “Well, I’m glad I could save you.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes at the typical soldier persona of complete seriousness and nodded to him once. Turning her head she noticed a black man standing beside Dum Dum and reached her hand out to shake his. The man glanced down at it then back up to her face. She raised her eyebrows in expectance.

“Gabe Jones.” He said as he took her hand and shook it.

“Nice to meet you, Gabe.” She smiled.

“That’s Dernier. He doesn't speak English. He’s French.”

Charlotte nodded at the scruffy looking man in suspenders. She remembered him as being the explosives expert of the team and she briefly wondered if he would let her blow things up too. She’s always wanted to see an explosion like in the movies. She watches way too many movies since she doesn’t have friends.

“And I’m James Buchanan Barnes, but everyone calls me Bucky.” The man standing next to Steve said with a smirk fixed on his features as he looked her up and down. She rolled her eyes at his flirtatious display.

“So, you’re the skirt chase of the gang.” She smirked back.

The rest of the men laughed. Bucky just shrugged with that smirk still on his face. Charlotte could already tell that this gang was close knit even if she hadn’t seen each of their information boards at the museum. She felt sad for them. They had no idea who they were going to lose and she was burdened with the information. She’d seen enough time travel movies to know that she couldn’t say anything.

“So, what had ya fallin’ from the sky? And how do you know my name?” Steve asked, his lips were pressed in a harsh line and he radiated authority.

“Touched a stupid box.” She huffed, “I think I just time travelled.”

“Time Travelled?” Morita asked, “I think Dum Dum’s right. She’s insane.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“Well, we don’t have time for that now. Let’s complete our mission and then take her back to base.” Steve commanded. “We’ll figure it out then. Get her the help she needs.”

“I don’t need help.” she glared.

The men ignored her and passed by her in a group. She debated running in the other direction and trying to find her way home, but being stuck in World War 2 Europe was not safe and she’d probably have more luck surviving if she stayed with the highly trained soldiers. She sighed turning to follow close behind Morita who was taking up the rear of the convoy. She could see how they all fell into the roles of soldiers instantly and became hyper aware of their surroundings.

They walked in silence and Charlotte found herself getting annoyed. She wasn’t a big fan of being left alone with her thoughts. Silence often led her to thinking about her grief which she still had yet to confront, choosing instead to shove it away and pretend it never happened. 

They were quiet for a while, the only sound was the cracking of twigs underneath their feet. Charlotte had expected at least a bit of conversation around this group of me, but then remembered that they were behind enemy lines and if they were too loud they might draw unwanted attention. The thought made her draw closer to the group until she was slotted between Morita and Dum Dum. 

Morita glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged gesturing to his weapon and Dum Dum’s before down at herself signaling that they were armed so her position between them was probably better than taking up the rear where they couldn’t see her. His face drew up into a little sideways smile before he nodded in understanding. She turned back around and caught Dum Dum glancing back at them with a teasing smile. She could tell he was probably the jokester of the group.

She rolled her eyes at him.

**Author's Note:**

> How'd y'all like it? Kudos or comment or both so I know whether or not I should keep writing it. And if you're up for beta reading let me know!


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